Shedding light on "invisible" gang members

Female gang members typically ignored in research and programming, report finds

June 27, 2001

Most of what is known about gang activity and involvement centres around men. With the exception of some media reports, female gang members have remained mostly invisible in research about gangs, and in gang prevention and intervention programs, a new study has found.

The "Invisible" Gang Members: A Report on Female Gang Association in Winnipeg was written by Melanie Nimmo for the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives-Manitoba. It is based on in-depth interviews with representatives from criminal justice, social services, and community-based agencies.

The report presents an eye-opening profile of female gang members in Winnipeg; it goes on to describe the basic motivations for gang involvement, the activities of female gang members, gang structure, and the possibility of leaving gang life.